The Legend That Could Have Changed the NBA Legacy of Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Others
Follow Us
We know the golden age of the NBA as that of Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird. However, one name which gets filtered out is Arvydas Sabonis. Don’t know who that is? Exactly!
How the NBA lost a potential star
Kaunas, Lithuania born Arvydas Sabonis, started playing basketball when he was 13. When he was 15 years old, he was a member of the Soviet national junior team. At age 17, he signed with hometown team, Žalgiris Kaunas.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Trending
Shaq Warns Lakers Locker Room Of Jeanie Buss Game Plan If Darvin Ham & Co Fail Vs Nuggets
April 24, 2024 09:42 PM EDT
Heat Injury Report: Latest On Jimmy Butler, Terry Rozier, Duncan Robinson Ahead of Game 2 vs Celtics
April 24, 2024 02:46 PM EDT
“So Rigged”: All Hell Breaks Loose as Jamal Murray Forces LeBron James’ Lakers Into Bitter Embarrassment
April 23, 2024 06:21 AM EDT
Marcus Takes Eyes Away From GF Larsa Pippen to Acknowledge Father Michael Jordan’s Talladega Victory
April 22, 2024 09:33 PM EDT
What Happened to Kenny Smith’s Legs? Unfolding the Sad Truth Behind TNT Host’s Dodgy Knees
April 22, 2024 08:05 PM EDT
Get instantly notified of the hottest NBA stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.
Follow Us
Arvydas won three straight Soviet League titles. In the 1988 Olympics, he lead Soviet Union team defeated David Robinson lead USA national team in semi-finals en route to the gold medals.
First of all, Sabonis’ injuries were a major problem. He suffered an Achilles’ tendon injury in a 1986 team practice. Fast forward to 1988, Sabonis had another Achilles injury, this time in his left leg.
His team rushed him back on the floor with the USSR Olympic Team before full recovery and 18-months without basketball. Sabonis’ overuse made a huge impact on his career.
Second, Sabonis could not make into the NBA once it drafted him. The biggest reasons are Cold War and Iron Curtain. The Hawks drafted him in the ’85 Draft, with a late 77th pick. The NBA declared the pick void because when the draft happened, Sabonis was not 21 yet.
In the 1986 Draft, another team tried to get their hands on Arvydas. It was the Portland Trail Blazers. They used 24th pick to select Sabonis. They tried all the possible methods to sign him. However, they couldn’t get him before 1995.
How Sabonis helped the Portland Trail Blazers
Once on board the Trail Blazers, Sabonis made sure the team was a threat on the court. He was unlike any other rookie. Because the Soviet Union would not let him go to America to play, he was almost a decade older than most rookies. However, he dominated the competition once he played, scoring 14.5 points per game while averaging 8.1 rebounds.
The league selected Sabonis to the all-rookie team for his efforts. He came second in the Rookie of the Year voting.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
In January 1997, Sabonis recorded 33 points against the Dallas Mavericks. He did this when he past his prime as an NBA player.
This 33-point night made many think about how many similar performances he could have put out in the early ’90s. Those were the times when he was in his prime, playing in Spain and in the ’80s when he was playing in the Soviet Union.
Many say he wasted his peak years in Europe. If he had played in the NBA his entire career, he would have multiple titles under his belt. The NBA community could consider him as one of the G.O.A.Ts of that era.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Unfortunately, global politics and socialism held a potential NBA legend back from an arguably well deserved career.
Written by: